Ken and I just completed another week-long Cousin Camp with our five grandchildren (12, 11, 11, 9 & 5). Our daughter, Carrie, flew in from Seattle with her two, and we picked up the three kids from Fishers, IN. Our home base was Carrie’s Airbnb across the street from our house – she had the boys dorm, we had the girls dorm! The week was PACKED with activities – swimming, duckpin bowling, s’mores making, ice skating, games, crafts, an Indiana Fever game, watching KPOP Demon Hunters (multiple times), playing golf, and of course, cooking together!

Five children pose together at a swimming pool, with a diving board in the background. They are wearing swimwear and appear to be enjoying a sunny day.
Swimming at Madison’s
Crystal Beach Aquatic Center
Children engaged in a craft activity, painting and creating art with various colored supplies at a table outdoors.
Creating a craft project
A group of five children posing together in an ice skating rink, wearing helmets and ice skates. They appear to be having fun, with smiles on their faces.
Ready to ice skate at Indy Feul Tank
Five children enjoying colorful lollipops while posing together outdoors in front of a blue house.
Enjoying their rock candy suckers
Shadows of a group of people on a golf course, with a flagstick visible in the background and green grass surrounding them.
Having a fun golf round
at Sunrise GC
A young boy pouring ingredients into a blender while an adult woman prepares food in the background, in a kitchen setting.
Prepping for our
Mexican food feast
A boy and a girl are preparing dough in a kitchen, with the boy shaping the dough and the girl rolling a piece in her hands. On the counter, there are several pieces of dough resting on a cutting board.
A package of organic yellow corn taco shells, a tray of raw ground beef, and a packet of Old El Paso taco seasoning mix, displayed on a wooden surface.

We try to keep the Cousin Camp menus fairly simple – like burgers, hotdogs, pizza, spaghetti & meatballs, purchased fried chicken and such. But the kids are good in the kitchen and enjoy cooking, so we decided to have a Family Mexican Food Night with their signature dishes! Shay (and Erin) started our day with Shay’s breakfast of fried biscuits and apple butter, and the other three finished us off with their salsa, guacamole and quesadillas at dinner. I made simple beef tacos to accompany.

HENRY’S SIGNATURE SALSA
Henry has been in the salsa business for nearly 10 years! He started out as Carrie’s sous chef, but is now in full command of the process. His salsa is well-chopped to a restaurant-style consistency, and the flavor is outstanding. Ken and I make a chunky salsa and a drier pico de gallo, but we’re definitely adding Henry’s recipe to our arsenal!

A young child in a red apron stands on a stool in a kitchen, smiling and holding a chip while looking at a bowl of salsa.
Little Henry making salsa in 2016
A boy preparing ingredients for salsa, chopping jalapeños and limes on a cutting board.
Henry making his salsa at Cousin Camp 2025
A young girl sitting at a table in a kitchen, focusing on a taco in one hand and dipping a chip into salsa on a plate. A pink cup is on the table, with a sibling in the background.
Erin enjoying Henry’s salsa with her taco
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Henry’s Tomato Salsa

A quick food processor salsa that's great with chips or on a taco!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, lower stalks removed & discarded
  • 1/2 yellow/white onion, roughly chopped
  • 1-1 1/2 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • EVOO to taste
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients into a blender/food processor (or use a stick/immersion blender) and pulse to desired consistency.
  • Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed.

MAX’S GUACAMOLE
Max is a pretty light eater, but he can definitely put away lots of his delicious guac! Whether you prepare his recipe to be smooth or ultra chunky, it’s heaven on a chip – and a boost to your avocado toast!

A young boy in a blue patterned shirt is preparing avocado for guacamole in a kitchen, demonstrating different cooking steps including cutting the avocado and mixing ingredients.
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Max’s Guacamole

Creamy avaocado spread or dip
Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword avocado, guacamole
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 Ripe avocado
  • 1 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
  • Garlic salt to taste
  • 1/2 tbsp Chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut avocados in half and remove pit.
  • Scoop avocado flesh out of peel. If very firm, place on cutting board to chop. If soft, add to bowl.
  • Smash avocado to desired consistency (chunky or smooth).
  • Add lime juice and seasonings to avocado and blend.
  • Taste test and correct seasonings as needed.

BRIDGET’S SIMPLE CHEESE QUESADILLA
Bridget really likes a chicken & cheese quesadilla, but to accommodate all camper palates, she chose to make a plain cheese option, just adding sliced green onions when requested. Her dish came together quickly and really rounded out our meal.

A girl preparing cheese quesadillas in a modern kitchen, showcasing cooking skills with ingredients like cheese, tomatoes, and green onions.
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Bridget’s Simple Cheese Quesadillas

A quick & easy entree for lunch, snack or dinner.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword tortilla, quesadilla, cheese

Ingredients

  • Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Mexican Cheese Blend – whatever combo & amount desired)
  • Sliced green onions (optional)
  • Flour tortillas (any size)
  • Any other ingredients you'd like to add (sliced black olives, shredded chicken, etc!)

Instructions

  • Heat the griddle/pan over medium heat.
  • Spinkle cheese on one tortilla and spread around evenly. (Add other items as desired)
  • Place tortilla with cheese onto griddle/pan. When chesse begins to melt, place second tortilla on top. Carefull turn torilla stack over and warn second side. (Both sides should be niceley toasted.)
  • Remove tortilla from heat and place on cutting board. Cut into pie-shaped portions and serve.
  • Dress quesadilla with sour cream/salsa/guacamole or leave plain and enjoy!

Our Mexican Food Night was a total success, and everyone ate their fill!

A joyful family dinner scene with a group of children and an adult sharing tacos and guacamole at a dining table, full of plates and drinks, showcasing a cheerful atmosphere.

It’s a joy to work with the kids in the kitchen. I’m impressed with their knife skill safety, and their willingness to try new foods and experiment with different techniques. If you’d like to see what other culinary accomplishments these guys have had, click the links within the photos below to see them featured in other Sally’s View Blog posts!

A child holding a plate of finely chopped greens, with a baking tray of similar greens on the countertop in a kitchen setting.
Bridget drying herbs
A young boy smiling while holding a basket full of fried biscuits in a cozy kitchen setting.
Seamus and his Fried Biscuits
A young girl with long hair is scooping homemade granola from a baking sheet into a ziplock bag in a kitchen.
Brdiget Bagging the granola…
Three children standing in a kitchen, enjoying fried biscuits, with dishes and cooking utensils visible in the background.
Shay, Bridget & Henry with their fried clam strips

Written by

sallymcw

One thing that makes my journey unique is that all of my interests are driven by a joyful and genuine curiosity. I delight in finding less expensive ways to make something or creative ways to enjoy something longer. Finding and creating joy - and sharing it - is core to who I am.